Canberra's beer, brewers and bars in 2014: Chris Shanahan reflects

By Chris Shanahan
Updated January 25 2015 - 10:28am, first published November 26 2014 - 8:28am
Ahead of the game: Tracy Margrain and Richard Watkins of BentSpoke Brewing Co. Photo: Rohan Thomson
Ahead of the game: Tracy Margrain and Richard Watkins of BentSpoke Brewing Co. Photo: Rohan Thomson
Good taste: Andrew  Deakins and Anna Trundle from Turner enjoy a stout at the Wig and Pen on Sunday. Photo: Rohan Thomson
Good taste: Andrew Deakins and Anna Trundle from Turner enjoy a stout at the Wig and Pen on Sunday. Photo: Rohan Thomson
Looking to move: Christoph Zierholz, at the Fyshwick brewpub. Photo: Rohan Thomson
Looking to move: Christoph Zierholz, at the Fyshwick brewpub. Photo: Rohan Thomson
On the wall: Inside BentSpoke Brewing Company in Braddon.  Photo: Rohan Thomson
On the wall: Inside BentSpoke Brewing Company in Braddon. Photo: Rohan Thomson

Canberra's embrace of the global craft-beer phenomenon tightened during 2014. We began the year with two local breweries – Zierholz and the Wig and Pen – and on June 6 we welcomed BentSpoke, Braddon, as our third. The two-story brewpub provides great views of the brewing equipment from the downstairs bar. It serves beer, cider, wine and food on both levels and at its outdoor courtyard. On opening night, people queued in the cold to join an enthusiastic crowd inside. And in the first three days, patrons consumed 3500 litres of beer – all brewed on site in the lead-up to the opening by Richard Watkins.  Watkins, partner Tracy Margrain and his backers  – the family behind Melbourne brewing supplier, Bintani Australia – designed and built BentSpoke from scratch in a new building on the corner of Mort and Elouera streets, Braddon.

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